ATA continues fight against RhodeWorks

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) took another step forward in its fight to end the state of Rhode Island’s truck-only toll program, filing a motion in district court earlier this month to bar the state from continuing its RhodeWorks tolls.

Rhode Island's RhodeWorks program took effect in 2018; it aims to generate revenue for road and bridge improvements throughout the state by charging tolls for freight trucks travelling along interstate 95. ATA filed suit against the state of Rhode Island in 2018, arguing that the program discriminates against interstate trucking companies and impedes the flow of interstate commerce by levying a special toll on freight trucks. A federal judge threw out the case last March, saying it needed to be heard at the state level, but an appeals court decision in December put the issue back on track.

This month’s filing in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island asks the court to issue an injunction barring the state from continuing to collect the RhodeWorks tolls.

“We are confident that we will prevail on the merits of our challenge, and therefore have asked the court to take this step to stop the ongoing unconstitutional harms these discriminatory tolls are inflicting on the trucking industry every day,” ATA said in a statement announcing the March filing.